


Cliché

by Gothic_Lolita



Category: Marvel, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Caring Steve, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Mother Hen Steve Rogers, Sub Tony Stark, Subdrop, Subspace, Tony Angst, Tony Feels, littlespace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-20 20:56:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,861
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11929110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gothic_Lolita/pseuds/Gothic_Lolita
Summary: Steve demands to take care of Tony, and he doesn't mind Tony's subspace one bit. Now if only he could convince Tony of that.





	Cliché

Tony was elbows deep in work, muttering to himself. He had gotten all his mandatory work done, most of the rest of it were things with deadlines far from now or little side projects. He had lost track of how long he had been working, and just focused on making his energy last as long as it could. He was half lucid as it was, but steadfast on working until he dropped.

He didn't hear the doors to his shop open, but he was vaguely aware of someone standing behind him.

"Open." A voice ordered, while a hand tapped Tony's jaw.

Tony frowned. What- mmph!" Tony startled, feeling something stuffed in his mouth. It.... Was food? "Wa i in m' mouwth?" Tony slurred, mouth stuffed.

"A piece of a burger from Burger King. Now chew and swallow." A voice, Steve, ordered. Tony was too startled to rebel and obeyed. "Good boy. Here's another piece, chew and swallow." Steve demanded, voice smooth and dominant.

Tony pulled away, wrinkling his nose. "Steve. I'm working, I don't have time for this. If you want me to eat, leave it on the counter and quit annoying me." Tony snapped, his tiredness coming through as irritation.

"Tony. Don't make me punish you. Open." Steve said firmly. Tony scowled, but opened his mouth and let Steve feed him. "Good boy, I'm proud of you." Steve purred and Tony whimpered softly.

"Steve, come on, I really don't have time for this, let me- mmph." Tony tried to protest, but another piece was put in his mouth, and Tony begrudgingly ate it.

"Come on, let's get over to the couch. You'll sit in my lap and let me feed you dinner." Steve ordered, dragging a pouting Tony away from the workbench he was vainly making grabby hands at. Tony was plunked down into an admittedly comfy super soldier lap, with Steve's chest against his back as he fed Tony bits of burger and occasionally fries.

"Drink." Tony demanded, and a soda was brought to his lips.

"Ask  _ **politely**_  next time." Steve reprimanded as Tony sipped the beverage. Tony only further scowled.

This wasn't an entirely new thing. Steve was a mother hen, right down to his all American bones. He looked over his team like Big Brother, even taking advantage of JARVIS to check up on them. Tony thought it borderlined  _ **obsession**_  at this rate. It was relatively easy for Steve to watch over the other Avengers. Enforcing sleep cycles, making sure everyone ate, watching over people to make sure no one was overworked, calming down panic attacks, and occasionally breaking up fights. It had to be exhausting, but pretty easy. Tony, refuses to be easy. He barred people out of his lab, went days without sleep, forgot to eat, and would ignore someone for weeks straight if they  _ **dared**_  try to consol one of his panic attacks or breakdowns. (Unless they were Rhodey or Pepper, naturally.) So naturally, it didn't take Steve long to notice Tony wouldn't have his mother hening. Tony figured that would be the end of it, Steve would let Tony live his life the way he always had. But  _ **no**_. The stupid patriot  _ **demanded**_  that he take care of Tony. And Tony tried. Everything. To stop Steve. It didn't work. Steve would wait outside Tony's workshop if he locked it down, or even send Clint into the vents. He tripled checked Tony's diet, sleep schedule,  _ **everything**_. But Tony was confident if he kept pushing, Steve would back down. Tony Stark always got what he wanted. But then Steve went and fucked it up. The super soldier, one day, had gotten so fed up with Tony that he berated him and spoke to him like a child. Which sent Tony into subspace. Steve took it surprisingly well, and took care of Tony while he was under. Tony had been mortified, only Pepper and Rhodey knew about it, but Steve told him it was fine. Since then, the asshole popsicle used it against Tony. He knew exactly how to get Tony into subspace, and because Tony was more compliant that way, he used it whenever Tony was being difficult. Tony made Steve swear he wouldn't tell anyone and would only do it in private, to which Steve agreed. It wasn't sexual, or even romantic. Just a Dom taking care of a Sub, as Steve had put it.

Tony was  _ **gone**_. Already in subspace, the last shreds of his thoughts of work drifting away from him. But he was still a brat, and scowled while Steve fed him. "Good boy, all done." Steve purred, letting Tony take a drink again. "Come on, up to bed." Steve ordered. Tony shook his head and folded his arms. "Anthony, don't make me put you in a timeout." Steve warned.

"Can't go to sleep if I'm in a timeout." Tony pointed out, his voice high and childish.

" ** _Tony_**." Steve warned, and Tony pouted. "Now come, to bed with you." Steve ordered, grabbing Tony and dragging him over to the elevator.

"You're a meanie." Tony declared in the elevator, folding his arms and leaning against the moving wall.

"Do you really mean that, Tony?" Steve asked with a pointed look.

Tony stared at his shoes. "No." He mumbled.

"What do we say?" Steve prompted.

"Sorry." Tony forced out.

"For?" Steve asked.

 Tony sighed. "Sorry for calling you a meanie." He said, voice small and guilty.

Steve nodded approvingly. "Good boy. Why do we apologize, Tony?"

"Because words hurt." Tony mumbled.

"Exactly. Words hurt, Tony." Steve said firmly. Tony turned away from Steve shamefully.  The elevator dinged and brought them to Tony's floor. Tony shuffled in, Steve guiding him. "Everything off except your boxers and undershirt." Steve ordered. Tony focused on the ground as he shuffled his clothing off. Steve watched him and frowned. Once Tony was finished, Steve gently grabbed Tony's chin and focused him to look up. "Tony, what's wrong?" Steve asked gently.

Tony scowled, looking close to tears. "I made Steve hurt 'cause I called you a meanie." Tony sniffed pitifully.

Steve let out a sigh. "Oh no, Tony. You didn't hurt me. I was just reminding you that you could've. It's okay, Tony. We all say things we don't mean, sometimes and have to say sorry." Steve assured him, smiling reassuringly.

Tony peaked at Steve. "Even Steve?" He asked shyly.

Steve chuckled. "Yeah, even me. Come on, get in bed." Steve persuaded, and coaxed Tony into his oversized bed, tucking him in. "Are you ready to sleep now, Tony?" Steve asked.

Tony considered that for a moment. "Cuddles?" He asked hopefully. 

"Tony, I don't think that's-" Steve started.

"Cuddles?" Tony asked again, with big doe eyes, making grabby hands at Steve. Steve tried to think of a protest, but couldn't find one that could fight Tony's puppy eyes. He slipped off his shoes and belt, and slid in bed next to Tony. "Cuddles." Tony said happily as Steve wrapped his arms around the other man. Steve told JARVIS to kill the lights, and let Tony fall asleep as Steve pet his hair. 

 

* * *

 

Steve was a bit embarrassed when he woke up, still in Tony's bed. Tony was ashamed of his subspace, and the last thing he would want was to face Steve after a drop. Steve didn't really understand why he was ashamed of it. After researching the matter (with help from JARVIS), Steve didn't see a single thing wrong with it. He felt completely fine with taking care of Tony in that state. It was actually adorable, to Steve.

Tony groaned and slowly woke up. Steve carded his fingers through Tony's hair, soothing him into awakeness. When Tony's eyelids fluttered open and he took in the situation, his mouth formed a pucker.

"If you fucking say a word of this to anyone-" Tony started.

"I wouldn't dream of it." Steve assured him.

Tony rolled out of bed. "Good. Then this never happened." Tony flashed a tight smile and headed towards his bathroom.

"No wait, Tony come on!" Steve called after him, jumping out of bed.

"Out of my room, Rogers." Tony said flatly.

Steve grabbed Tony's arm. "No, hey, we can talk about this." Steve tried to encourage him.

Tony spun around and gave him a vile glare. "Talk about  _ **what**_? That I'm a grown ass man who all it takes is talking to me in the right tone to get me to fucking act like a goddamned five year old? Talk about that?" Tony demanded.

"There's nothing wrong with it, Tony." Steve said gently.

"There's  _ **everything**_  wrong with it!" Tony exploded. "I don't have fucking  _ **time**_  for subspace, or any of this shit. I have work to do, things worth doing, and all you seem to want to do is trigger my subspace and  _ **humiliate**_  me!" Tony snapped, tears starting to run down his face.

"Tony, look at me." Steve ordered. Tony glared up at him. "First of all, I'm not humiliating you. I don't think it's funny or anything like that. I genuinely want to take care of you, Tony. And I can see it in your eyes, whenever you're stressed or being yelled at, how much you just want to slip into subspace and let someone take care of you. I wouldn't trigger it if I didn't think you needed it, Tony. It doesn't have to be romantic, or sexual, or any of that. Just let me take care of you, Tony. I  _ **care**_  about you. It's not a problem or hinderance to me, I truly enjoy making sure you're safe and happy and well taken care of. And for what it's worth, I think you're adorable in subspace, and out of it, really." Steve said slowly and firmly, smiling gently.

The heat in Tony's eyes faded slightly, but there were still negative emotions. Fear, confusion, self loathing. "I... I just don't want to be a problem, Steve. I can take care of myself." He mumbled.

Steve smiled sadly. "Barely. Tony, you're a mess, always looking two seconds from collapsing in on yourself. It's not a problem, letting me catch you when you fall." Steve promised, cupping Tony's cheek and brushing away tears.

Tony bit his lip, looking deep in thought. "What... what if..." Tony tried to force the words out.

"What if?" Steve prompted gently.

"What if I wanted it to be romantic? Or sexual? Not-not sexual right away, despite what people think, I like a relationship to grow before sex, especially in subspace. I mean, it's a bad idea, I'm a horrible boyfriend, I forget important dates, and I get buried in work and I lash out a lot, I'm sorry, it's an awful idea, forget I-" Tony rambled, and as adorable as it was, Steve decided the best way to shut him up was with a chaste kiss. Tony let out a surprised noise, but kissed Steve back with earnest. "That... that was... so fucking cliche, Steve." Tony forced out, smiling lightly when they pulled away.

Steve smiled. "I like cliche. And I like you, too." Steve said.

"Wow, it got more cliche." Tony remarked.

"Tony? Shut up." Steve kissed him again.


End file.
